Anuradha Balasubramanian, Founder & Managing Director, Centrado Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Your journey as the founder and managing director of Centrado Tech Solutions spans over a decade. What inspired you to create an innovative STEM-focused EdTech company?

A decade ago, when I moved back to India from Singapore, I noticed a lack of application-oriented learning in schools, leading to significant learning gaps and a disconnect between academia and industry. This inspired me to create an inclusive, hands-on STEM learning ecosystem that makes education relevant, future-ready, and empowers students to become problem solvers, in addition to becoming creative and globally competitive.

Centrado’s initiatives like Maker Labs on Wheels and STEM Innovation Labs have reached underserved regions. What challenges did you face in implementing these programs, and how did you overcome them?

Yes, we were fortunate to work with Infosys Foundation through their CSR initiative to establish Maker Lab on Wheels and STEM Innovation Labs in remote areas like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, where students often lack basic internet access and computers. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring uninterrupted internet connectivity. To overcome this, we innovated by making our ZBLOX coding app work offline, requiring only a one-time online registration. Additionally, many students were new to computers, so our trainers stayed on-site for over a month to provide hands-on learning. Seeing their progress was incredibly gratifying, and we continue to support them through regular online sessions to ensure long-term impact.

Centrado’s Zblox Coding platform and AI Mechanix kits are game changers in STEM education. Could you elaborate on how these tools foster creativity and critical thinking among Gen Z students?

The ZBLOX coding platform seamlessly integrates hardware and software, making project-based learning intuitive and engaging. It provides a structured coding journey where students begin with block coding, focusing on logic without worrying about syntax. The platform displays text-based code alongside, and hence as they progress, it allows them to transition naturally to advanced coding. This enables students to effortlessly build complex projects, from humanoid bots to IoT solutions, while integrating various microcontrollers, including Centrado’s custom boards, i.e., CreatorZ, Centraduino, the robotic brain board and the NanoZ microcontroller.

Our AI STEM kits are meticulously designed to simplify AI concepts for students. With hands-on activities, these kits make AI approachable and engaging, ensuring that even complex topics are easily understood and applied in real-world scenarios. This fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, equipping Gen Z with future-ready skills.

You’ve impacted over 300,000 students and upskilled 3,000+ teachers through your programs. What strategies have been most effective in

scaling these initiatives?

Our focus has always been on "Accelerating Imagination" of students and delivering true value to schools through our New Age Learning solutions. Rather than approaching education purely as a business, we prioritized nation-building, making conscious efforts to reach underserved schools. This mission-driven approach led to our organic growth.

The key to scaling has been adapting to schools' evolving needs and aligning our products with the latest technology trends. By continuously developing solutions that nurture essential 21st-century skills, we’ve naturally expanded our impact, reaching over 300,000 students and upskilling 3,000+ teachers.

As a recipient of the STEM.ORG accreditation and an OEM, how do you ensure Centrado maintains its quality and innovation standards across its offerings?

To maintain quality and innovation, we manufacture our own products, ensuring complete control over design, development, and continuous improvement. This not only allows us to optimise costs for schools—especially in servicing and repairs—but also ensures that our solutions remain highly effective and student-friendly. We actively gather feedback from our trainers and end-users to refine our offerings, addressing limitations and enhancing features. This iterative process helps us stay ahead of evolving educational needs, consistently delivering cutting-edge, innovative products that empower students with future-ready skills.

The National Education Policy emphasizes skill development. How does Centrado align its curriculum with NEP’s vision for future-ready education?

Centrado’s curriculum is fully aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) by emphasizing technical and vocational skills through a hands-on, experiential learning approach. We offer structured programs in Design Thinking & Innovation, AI, IoT, Coding, Advanced Robotics, and Financial Literacy, tailored for school students.

Our curriculum integrates CBSE skill modules, allowing students to enroll and get certified in these emerging fields. With a strong foundation in AI, IoT, Robotics, AR/VR, ML, and Coding, our approach follows the Design Thinking methodology, naturally fostering problem-solving, creativity, and future-ready skills—exactly in line with NEP’s vision.

You’ve collaborated with Corporate CSR foundations and government agencies like NITI Aayog. How have these collaborations influenced Centrado’s growth and impact?

These collaborations have significantly influenced Centrado’s growth and impact, enabling us to reach remote and rural areas across India. Partnering with Corporate CSR foundations and NITI Aayog’s AIM initiative provided us with the platform to bring STEM education to underserved communities, expanding our reach and deepening our mission-driven approach.

Despite being a bootstrapped startup, these partnerships motivated us to innovate continuously, developing cost-effective, impactful solutions tailored for schools with limited resources. They played a crucial role in helping us scale nationally, ensuring that quality STEM education is accessible to all.

As an entrepreneur, what advice would you give to women looking to enter the EdTech industry or start their own ventures?

Women possess inherent strengths like patience, empathy, endurance, and adaptability, which are invaluable in navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. While starting and running a startup is tough, these qualities empower women to persevere, innovate, and lead effectively.

For women entering EdTech or any venture, my advice is to believe in your vision, stay resilient, and embrace continuous learning. Build a strong support network, seek mentorship, and never hesitate to take bold steps. Challenges will arise, but with passion and persistence, success will follow.

What is your opinion on the role of Industrial Automation magazine in showcasing industry trends and empowering women in technology and automation?

Industrial Automation magazine plays a crucial role in showcasing industry trends, fostering innovation, and highlighting advancements in technology and automation. By featuring insights from industry leaders, emerging technologies, and best practices, it helps bridge the gap between academia, industry, and startups.

Additionally, the magazine’s focus on empowering women in technology and automation is commendable. By showcasing success stories, thought leadership, and opportunities in STEM fields, it inspires more women to pursue careers and leadership roles in these industries. Such platforms are vital in promoting diversity, inclusion, and innovation in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

What are the three words that best describe how it feels to be a finalist in the Women in Tech 2025 competition?

Inspired. Empowered. Honoured.

Anuradha Balasubramanian, Co-founder & Managing Director of Centrado, is a visionary leader transforming STEM education in schools. After a distinguished corporate career spanning over two decades, she co-founded Centrado in 2016 to bridge learning gaps through hands-on, project-based education. An Economics graduate with a fellowship in insurance, she also completed the Seed Spark Entrepreneurship Program at Stanford GSB. Under her leadership, Centrado has impacted 400+ schools, collaborating with CSR foundations to establish STEM labs and “Maker Lab on Wheels” for underserved students. Committed to future-ready learning, Anuradha is driving a dynamic shift in education through innovation and inclusion.